Industrial Thread: 3 Made Methods, 7 Types, 3 Sizing Systems

Table of Contents

What is Industrial Sewing Thread?

Heavy Duty Sewing Thread — industrial sewing thread

The sewing thread is made for use on industrial machines that meets high production demands daily. Industrial threads consist of sewing threads for upholstery and commercial sewing applications, use these industrial threads to sew strong, long-lasting seams in fabric, leather, canvas, and other materials. . Hong Feng bonded threads are available in a selection of up to seven thicknesses (sizes), three fiber types, and over one hundred colors. Commercial and industrial sewing threads are strong, and smooth, and are commonly used on projects that have special thread requirements. For high-heat resistance, DuPont™ Kevlar® thread is the thread to use. For UV-safe applications, Bonded Polyester is recommended.

Three made methods of industrial thread

There are three main categories of threads based on their construction method:

Spun thread: This is your regular thread, the most widely used thread, and can be made with either natural or artificial fibers. Spun polyester is accepted as the best in this category, for the same thickness it’s generally stronger than cotton. The fibers are spun into yarn (the same old process my great-grandmother was doing at home), then multiple strands are twisted together.
Core spun thread: Core spun thread (sometimes also called poly-wrapped poly core or Perma core): the thread has an inner core made out of a single filament of polyester around which regular spun fibers are wrapped. Because of the filament core, this thread is stronger than regular thread and isn’t common for regular home use but it’s used for high-speed sewing.
Filament thread: Filament or monofilament thread is made out of a long filament, as the name suggests; usually polyester.
There is no spinning and no yarn involved here, the thread is one long strand. If you want to think of a filament thread, think about a fishing line – the difference is that the fishing line isn’t polyester and is thicker, but the principle is the same.
One of the most popular monofilament threads is the“invisible” thread, which isn’t really invisible, but it’s very thin and can be hidden easily.

Seven types of industrial sewing threads to use for industrial applications

Spun Polyester Sewing Thread;
Filament Polyester Sewing Thread/Bonded Polyester Thread;
Filament Nylon Sewing Thread/Bonded Nylon Thread;
Core Spun Thread;
Textured Polyester Sewing Thread;
High Bulk Textured Polyester Thread;
Cotton Sewing Thread.

3 Common Industrial Sewing Thread Sizing Systems

Tex (T): Tex is the most consistent of the measuring methods. It uses a fixed length to measure the weight of a thread. Tex is the weight (in grams) of 1,000 meters of thread. Or, in other words, 1,000 meters of thread that weighs 1 gm. = 1 Tex. The higher the tex, the thicker the thread.
Denier Count (Td or d): Denier also measures thread at a fixed length. It is the weight (in grams) of 9,000 meters (or 9 km) of thread. You might recognize the term from descriptions of nylon fabrics, which are often classified by the denier of the threads from which they are woven.
Commercial Sizes (V): Commercial sizes are used for heavy-duty threads for sewing heavy upholstery, canvas or webbing. Commercial sizes are set sizes of 30, 46, 69, 92, 138, 207, 277, 346, 415, and 554. They are the thread’s denier divided by 10. Commercial sizes are standard for marine-grade thread (you’ll see commercial sizes on the Sailrite website for our outdoor thread).

Here’s a helpful chart that shows how the different sizing methods compare:

3 Common Industrial Sewing Thread Sizing Systems

hongfeng Filament Polyester Sewing Thread Parameters

TEX	METRIC	LENGTH	RA (dTex)	BSA (cN)	EBA	DHS 150℃(%)	BWS 100℃(%)
10	Tkt 250	5,000M	130	630	20	＜2.5	＜1.0
12	Tkt 200	3,000M	183	920	19	＜2.5	＜1.0
18	Tkt 180	5,000M	180	920	21	＜2.5	＜1.0
24	Tkt 120	3,000M	254	1420	19	＜2.5	＜1.0
30	Tkt 080	2,000M	373	2170	18	＜2.5	＜1.0
50	Tkt 060	2,000M	576	2620	18	＜2.5	＜1.0
60	Tkt 040	3,000M	783	4230	17	＜2.5	＜1.0
90	Tkt 030	2,000M	943	5200	19	＜2.5	＜1.0
135	Tkt 020	1,500M	1596	8360	19	＜2.5	＜1.0
150	Tkt 018	1,500M	1840	9030	22	＜2.5	＜1.0
180	Tkt 015	1,000M	2286	11400	22	＜2.5	＜1.0
270	Tkt 010	900M	3405	16630	23	＜2.5	＜1.0
350	Tkt 008	700M	3856	19480	28	＜2.5	＜1.0

RA: Roughness Average. BSA: Breaking Strength Average. EBA: Elongation at Break Average. DHS: Dry Heat Shrinkage. BWS: Boiling Water Shrinkage

Industrial Thread Size Measurement

Weight: In weight measurements, higher numbers reflect finer or lighter threads. The “weight” of a particular type of thread refers to the length of a given weight of thread. Dividing the length of the thread by a set weight derives the exact measurement of a thread weight. A thread is labeled 40 wt. because one gram is 40 meters long. A thread is labeled 30 wt. because one gram is 30 meters long. A 30-wt. thread is a “heavier” thread, meaning a thicker cross-section because a much shorter thread weighs the same as the 40 wt.
Length: In length measurements, higher numbers reflect thicker or heavier threads. “Denier” refers to the weight in grams of 9000 meters of thread. If 9000 meters weigh 1120 grams, it is a 120 d thread. Most embroidery threads are 120/2, which equals 2 strands of 120-denier thread for a 240-denier total.

“Tex”: refers to the weight in grams of 1000 meters of thread. If 1000 meters weighs 25 grams, it is Tex 25.

Rule of Thumb

40 Wt. = 240 denier = Tex 25. All work in a size 75/11 needle. SCHMETZ advises that the diameter of the eye of the needle should be 40% larger than the diameter of the thread. Using the rule of thumb, consider a larger needle when using threads heavier than 40wt/240denier/tex25. Consider using a smaller needle when using finer threads.